Voter suppression has been on the upswing across America, with voter roll purges, elimination of polling locations, and reduced voting hours just some of the tactics that have been employed to limit access to the ballot. This page will help you locate information on what to do if you encounter difficulty with registration, early voting, vote by mail or in person voting.
Voter suppression has been on the upswing across America, with voter roll purges, elimination of polling locations, and reduced voting hours just some of the tactics that have been employed to limit access to the ballot. And Still I Vote is an initiative created by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights that educates, advocates and mobilizes voters to take action against voter suppression in the U.S. The website offers information on the latest developments, and offers a wide variety of resources on how to take action to protect the right to vote, what to do if you encounter voter suppression, and more.
The Voting Rights Alliance is a network of organizations, activists, and legislators working to restore and protect voting rights from voter suppression efforts that attempt to undermine both access to the polls and validity of mail in and in person ballots. The Alliance website is a virtual one stop shop of resources for voters, with detailed information on voting during COVID-19, voter registration, state-specific voting information, voter ID assistance, and local and state candidate information.
Many Americans believe that those with felonies on their record have lost their right to vote permanently -- this is far from the case. In partnership with the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights Under Law and the U.S. Vote Foundation, the Hip Hop Caucus has created the Returning Citizens tool, which helps citizens with a felony or misdemeanor on their record determine whether they are eligible to vote, and provides resources on actions they can take to restore their right to vote. The tool is part of a larger initiative called Respect My Vote, which also provides information and resources on voter registration, polling locations and more.
VoteRiders is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused specifically upon voter ID requirements for each state. The site provides information in various languages on whether an iD is required to vote either in person or by mail, and offers continuously updated information on acceptable forms of ID (if required) as well as assistance in obtaining necessary ID. There's also a news page, a live chat and a help hotline that you can call or text for immediate assistance -- you can even order handy wallet cards!
VoteRiders also has great resources to help voters with disabilities exercise their right to vote - check it out!
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law was created in the summer of 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy, who urged lawyers to use their training and influence to support the Civil Rights movement. Since then, the Committee has provided free legal services and advocacy to protect the voting rights of historically disenfranchised and marginalized minorities across America. The Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers’ Committee conducts litigation of cases concerning voter registration, voter roll purges, barriers to voting and voter suppression, and redistricting and gerrymandering.
The Committee also provides a State Election Law Overview that offers current information on each state’s election laws as well as election calendars, voter registration timetables, the absentee/mail-in balloting process, and in-person early voting.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan civic organization that conducts candidate forums and registration drives, and provides comprehensive resources on all aspects of voting and elections. The League is dedicated to ensuring that elections remain "free, fair and accessible" by facilitating efforts to enact common-sense election reforms and protecting voting rights through aggressive advocacy, education and legal efforts. Voters can use the League's Vote411 site to access detailed information on registration and voting procedures for each state.
Election Protection is a national coalition dedicated to protecting voting rights and ensuring free and fair elections. The coalition offers detailed and continuously updated voting information and assistance for each state on its website, including key dates, registration and vote by mail guidelines, voting locations, ID requirements (if any), and more. Volunteers work with a network of partners on the ground to identify and remove barriers to voting, and document and address issues as they arise. The organization also offers fully staffed information and assistance hotlines in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Asian languages.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization that works in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including voting rights. The ACLU is an Election Protection partner - voters can contact the ACLU Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE for free legal assistance with incidents of voter intimidation and suppression, disability-related access and mandated language assistance, as well as reliable election-related information and resources.
Check out the ACLU Know Your Rights voting tool!